What is the circle game and where did it come from?

A question asked quite often by victims of the game. The circle game is a physical game that is played by forming your hand into a circle and holding it below your waist. Anyone who is caught looking at it is likely to get punched or given a neck. It is not an old game made up in the 16th century, but a fairly new invention created by Matt Nelson sometime during the 1980s.

How do you play the circle game?

Well, it’s really a back and forth type of game you will play with your friends. It cost no money, but it can get you a few bruises if you aren’t careful! The game is played by holding the circle anywhere below the waist, it does not specifically need to be held on your waist, it can also work on a pair of socks as well!

Can you get hit if they hold it above the waist?

No. If they hit you and you looked at the circle above the waist, you get to hit them back TWICE. False punches are the worst, I was personally victimized by them in the past, which is one of the reasons for me writing this article today; to clarify the rules.

Looking for ways to make new friends in school? Bring this game to life with some of your peers, it doesn’t have to be a violent hit, and you can even yell, “GOT’EM’” as a way to let them know that you won that round. But this game is like a war! Once you get started you can come up with unlimited possibilities to trick others.

I can remember when I was young, about 12 or 13 years old going to Christian camps in New York’s Catskill Mountains. This is where the Circle Game had been brought into my life, and it’s been a lesson and a blessing.

Here’s why;

It taught me that you don’t need to be best friends with someone to connect with them. As a matter of fact, I was a pretty lonely child. It wasn’t because I was too, to myself. But mainly because I was a weird kid, I was outgoing and caring, kind but with no filter and a little too blunt with my questions.

I tried so many ways to break the ice, but it wasn’t until I saw them playing the game, holding their hand in a circle dangling their 3 fingers under the waist that I broke the awkward silence. Some people think there aren’t too many ways to build connections with certain people but it truly starts with your understanding and perception of others. The more you can break down how the common mind will work, the faster you’ll earn their words in conversation.